Hello, my name is Isra Shaikh! I am a CCP student at the Kent State Twinsburg Campus. I have recently begun writing for The Diary of a Golden Flash, the Kent State Geauga/Twinsburg blog. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing for this blog, despite only having written one entry so far. It was through this blog that I received the opportunity to interview a faculty member in order to learn more about that specific field.
I had chosen to interview Dr. Julie Evey. It was an enjoyable experience, and Dr. Evey is very inspirational and motivational. She has been teaching psychology for over 20 years and specializes in cognitive psychology (the study of all higher mental processes such as memory, thinking, problem-solving, and language). Although Dr. Evey also mentioned favoring the subject of research methods and statistics.
After having experienced Dr. Evey’s teaching firsthand, I would say that it is clear that she is knowledgeable about this subject. But according to Dr. Evey, it is different to solely know the information and different to have the ability to teach it. When asked what attributes an instructor should embody, Dr. Evey explains that an instructor should be empathetic and understanding. She says that they should also be flexible; they should reflect on how they teach and be open to evolving material. I wholeheartedly agree with Dr. Evey’s evaluation of her skills as a professor. She is very approachable; she calmed my nerves significantly with her friendly demeanor and encouraging words. And, more importantly, Dr. Evey always maintains a level of enthusiasm as she teaches. She says that it is essential for a professor to be excited about the subject they teach because it does impact the excitement that students feel towards that subject.
After discussing the undecidedness that many students have when choosing a major, Dr. Evey suggested that students discuss and explore prospective options with their professors and experts. Dr. Evey says that “Reading is not the same as speaking to people who are in the field and asking them for advice.” Dr. Evey even spurred me to pursue my hobbies, not give them up, and perhaps look into minoring in a field like writing (since I particularly like to write). She may not be a counselor, but Dr. Evey does provide expert counseling. Her advice continues to help me receive decent grades, and her energetic nature always makes me excited to participate in class. I would most definitely recommend talking to Dr. Evey with questions about psychology as a whole, subjects related to what field you want to pursue, or even if you need some brilliant advice.